Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
President Witnesses Extraordinary Performances by Divyang Children at Cultural Event ‘Divya Kala Shakti- Witnessing Ability in Disability’
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind witnessed extraordinary performances by the Divyang Children at the cultural event ‘Divya Kala Shakti- Witnessing Ability in Disability’ organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities , Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in G.M.C. Balayogi Auditorium, Parliament Library Building here today.
The Vice President & Chairman, RajyaSabha Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Speaker, LokSabha Shri Om Birla were the Guests of Honour. Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot and many Ministers were present. Members of Parliament from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and the Secretaries to many Central Ministries/Departments also attended this special event, which was organized for the second time.
In March, 2019, the DEPwD received a request from the President’s Secretariat to conduct a cultural programme for Divyang children in the premises of Rashtrapati Bhawan on 18th April, 2019 with an aim to further create awareness regarding the tremendous potential that is waiting to be harnessed. In order to organise the function, three major steps were taken immediately:-
- To invite entries of participants through our National Institutes;
- To appoint a professional choreographer team to mentor the participating teams; and
- To make the RashtraptiBhawan cultural centre fully accessible.
175 Artistes have been drawn from different states, cultural societies, institutions, civil societies to make it a truly nationalistic spirit. Department arranged for their rehearsals and practise session with the choreographer and the discipline and precision of timing and performance among such children is the greatest example of their intellectual, creative and their latent ability that needs to be harnessed for their optimal self-actualization.
The President Secretariat made necessary arrangements for making the stage and venue accessible for Persons with Disabilities along with provided necessary arrangements including sound and light equipments.The Cultural event , “Divya Kala Shakti: Witnessing Ability in Disability” commenced in the evening of 18th April, 2019 in the esteemed presence of the President of India who interacted with the participants and group photos were taken. The event was witnessed by about 300 dignitaries representing Ambassadors/High Commissioners/Senior Government officials, Creative personalities, Educators, Principals, various disability advocacy groups etc.
The programme was anchored by 3 youths with visual impairments disabilities; and performances were presented only by children and youth with disabilities ranging from physical, visual, hearing, intellectual, autism to multiple disabilities. They are capable of excelling in any field of life, be it art, culture, sports, profession or anything which a person with disability can do. The children with disabilities and the audience will always remember the inspiring words said by the President of India, who said that we need to spread the message of the rights and skills of Divyang children in every corner of the country.
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities  was established in May, 2012 under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to give greater emphasis on policy issues and implementation relating to persons with disabilities. Besides administering three Acts of Parliament, the Department is providing rehabilitation services, training, education and conducting research on various disabilities through eight National Institutes spread across the country. Various Central Schemes are being run to provide support to institutions, State Governments and NGOs. Awareness Generation is a continuous process. Besides providing financial support to civil society organisations and institutions for sensitising people about the rights and entitlements of persons with disabilities; the Government confers National Awards every year in recognition of excellence of persons with disabilities and their organisations and also to individuals and organisations for the welfare of persons with disabilities.The RPwD-2016 has come into force on 19th April 2017. Section 29 of RPwD Act envisions the Government to promote cultural and recreational activities amongst the Persons with Disabilities.
The Divyang children who participatedtoday as well as their items are mentioned below:-
National Anthem in Sign language
Name : Students fromAkshayaPratishthan, National Association of Blind, Saksham, Tamanna
Age : 11 to 31 years
Disability : Hearing Disability, Visual Disability, Down Syndrome
Place : Delhi
Foot on Keyboard
Name : Ms.RiniBhattacharjee
Age : 17 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability
Place : Kolkata
Two Classical Divyang Sisters
Name : Ms.Kanmony. S, Ms. K. Jyothi
Age : 18 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability, Visual Disability, Intellectual Disability
Place : Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Divyang Youth Sings
Name : Mr MaharshiMandal
Age : 25 years
Disability : Cerebral Palsy with Left Hemiparesis
Place : Delhi
Let's Join Meera
Name : AdarshVidyalaya, National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities 
Age : 13 to 41 years
Disability : Visual Disability
Place : Dehradun
Ganesh Vandana
Name : Students from ALPANA Group
Age : 13 to 41 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disability
Place : Delhi
Durga Kills Demon
Name : Students fromNational Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities 
Age : 14 to 18 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability
Place : Secunderabad
Kathak dancing all the way
Name : Ms Bulbul Panjre
Age : 19 years
Disability : Hearing Disability
Place : Indore
Manipuri Dance
Name : Ms Daina Devi
Age : 31 years
Disability : Down Syndrome
Place : Manipur
Andal Marriage
Name : Students from Sankalp Learning Center
Age : 14 to 20 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability and Autism
Place : Chennai
Sufi Dance on Wheelchair
Name : Students from Aamad Dance Centre
Age : 23 to 27 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability
Place : Delhi
Harvesting in Meghalaya
Name : Parents Association for Disabled
Age : 11 to 42 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disability
Place : Shillong
Nagas Spinning Cotton
Name : Indigenous Cultural Society
Age : 15 to 22 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability, Hearing Disability, Low Vision
Place : Dimapur
Enjoy Nepali Folk
Name : Spastic Society of Sikkim
Age : 19 to 22 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability
Place : Gangtok
Assamese Bihu Dance
Name : AshadeepMental Health Society
Age : 17 to 37 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability
Place : Assam
Mizoram Comes Live
Name : Students fromGilead Special School for the Multi-Handicapped
Age : 16 to 28 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability
Place : Aizwal
Divyang Sports
Name : Aamad Dance Centre, Delhi State Wheelchair Basketball Association
Age : 16 to 28 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability
Place : Delhi
Gujarati Garba Dance
Name : Blind People's Association
Age : 16 to 25 years
Disability : Visual Disability, Locomotor Disability
Place : Ahmadabad
Rajasthan is Here
Name : BalwantRai Mehta School
Age : 12 to 20 years
Disability : Specific Learning Disability, Intellectual Disability, Autism,
Place : Delhi
Lavani Dance on my Knees
Name : Ms.JuliKar
Age : 20 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability
Place : Cuttack
Vishnu@ Shiva Marriage
Name : AdarshVidyalaya, National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities 
Age : 13 to 41 years
Disability : Visual Disability
Place : Dehradun
Let's Play Holi Again
Name : Students fromALPANA Group
Age : 13 to 41 years
Disability : Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disability
Place : Delhi
Bhangra Blast
Name : Amarjyoti Charitable Trust
Age : 9 to 23 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability, Hearing Disability
Place : Delhi
Take us not for Granted
Name : Mr.Munna Malik, Aamad Dance Centre, Abhoy Mission, Tripura
Age : 13 to 27 years
Disability :Locomotor Disability, Intellectual Disability
Place : Cuttack, Delhi and Tripura